Dr. David Spiegel knows about hypnosis
Is there such a thing as hypnosis?
Stanford psychiatrist Dr. David Spiegel believes there is, and he has brain scans to prove it. Hypnosis has been stuck for years between showmanship and suspicion. But Spiegel’s research is pushing it out of the shadows and into the realm of real science.
What hypnosis is not, from his studies, is mind control. What hypnosis is, however, is a powerful psychological state that can rewire your brain, reduce pain or anxiety, and help to transform negative thought patterns, and it’s all backed by neuroscience.
What Hypnosis Actually Is
Hypnosis is not something being done TO you. It’s something you enter into voluntarily, with an open mind and eager to establish healthy change. Think of hypnosis as goal-oriented meditation or mindfulness on steroids. Spiegel likens hypnosis to rerouting the brain’s internal traffic. Rather than looping through fear, pain, or self-defeating thoughts, it opens new, more helpful mental routes.
In a hypnotic state, your attention narrows, outside distractions fade, and your brain becomes more receptive to change. You’re not asleep or unconscious. You’re just focused, and neurologically flexible.
The Brain on Hypnosis
Spiegel’s research used MRI scans to map what the brain looks like under hypnosis. Three key areas show increased connectivity:
- Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex helps filter attention and manage conflict
- Insula regulates internal awareness (like pain and emotion)
- Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex responsible for decision-making and self-control
These regions are in harmony when your thinking is clear and receptive to reprogramming unhelpful patterns of thinking.
Default mode network (DMN) activity also tapers off simultaneously. The DMN is the brain network that wanders, frets, relives the past, and condemns you. When it quiets, so does the internal chatter that keeps you from being successful.
Real-World Results
Spiegel and colleagues have applied hypnosis to:
- Lessen pain from chronic illnesses without medication
- Soften individuals through exposure to trauma without harm
- Decrease anxiety and enhance sleep
- Decrease opioid use among hospital patients
In one experiment, patients under hypnosis said that they felt less pain, not necessarily because the pain went away, but rather because they processed it differently in their brain. That is the power of top-down control: controlling your body with your brain.
Why This Matters Now
We are in an era where neuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to adapt, is all around us. But Spiegel is quick to point out that hypnosis is among the most immediate, low-cost, and safe means of engaging that plasticity. No medication, no equipment, just a trained mind.
And it’s available. Spiegel has been a proponent of hypnosis apps and guided sessions individuals can try at home. For those with limited exposure to therapy, this type of device might be a lifeline.
Busting the Myths
Hypnosis is still stigmatized even with increasing scientific backing. Individuals envision swinging clocks and gaudy stage tricks. But Spiegel maintains that hypnosis is not about relinquishing control but rather tapping into inner control previously unaware of.
While in hypnosis you are awake and can say no to any direction that’s not in line with your values. What hypnosis can do is provide a method of co-operation with your own mind, to jump over self-destructive patterns and leave room for preferred alternatives.
Final Thoughts
Dr. David Spiegel has taken hypnosis off the sidelines and placed it squarely into the mainstream of modern medicine. By demonstrating how and why it works in the brain, and what it can achieve for the brain, he’s not only made it credible, but essential.
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, trauma, or just need to rewire the thoughts currently flying through your head, hypnosis may be in for a second glance. Your brain is designed to learn and adapt. Hypnosis just assists in getting there sooner.
By: Paul Gustafson
